UofG set to host fourth annual James McCune Smith conference
Published: 2 July 2026
The University of Glasgow is set to celebrate and amplify the voices and visions of Black scholars, thinkers, and changemakers as a major conference returns this summer.
The University of Glasgow is set to celebrate and amplify the voices and visions of Black scholars, thinkers, and changemakers as a major conference returns this summer.
The fourth annual James McCune Smith (JMS) Conference, which will be held on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th July in Glasgow, will explore the theme ‘Every Story I Create, Creates Me: Learning, Leadership and Legacy’.
The JMS Conference is an extension of the University of Glasgow’s commitment to equity and inclusion in research through the James McCune Smith PhD Scholarship Programme.
Launched in 2021, the programme supports Black UK students to pursue PhD research and offers access to external mentors, placements, leadership development, community-building activities.
Chris Reid, a JMS scholar and member of the conference working group, said: “To inquire, to learn, to produce new knowledge and introduce new perspectives —these are the reasons why we, as JMS Scholars, are at Glasgow University. Many of us aspire to be leaders in arts, sciences, private industries, or public institutions.
"The JMS conference gives us two days to engage with those who have accomplished much in these fields. The conference is at once a recognition of Black achievement and an opportunity to build on its legacy."
Paul Gordon, one of the newest JMS Scholars and a speaker at the conference said: “I joined the October 2025 JMS scholars cohort, following in the footsteps of my son Montel, one of the first JMS scholars. I vividly recall taking him to school for the first time and proudly watching him perform in his first school play. I also remember attending the JMS conference in 2025 and being impressed by the depth and talent on display, which proved truly inspiring.”
Professor Andy Schofield, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said: “The JMS PhD Scholarships play an important role in our research community, opening up opportunities for Black Scholars to carry out work that makes a real difference.
“We are proud to host this conference each year and to see the range and quality of research coming through the scholarship programme. It is a chance to share ideas, to recognise achievements of our scholars and to bring people together. I’m looking forward to hearing about the work of this year’s guest speakers as well as the event’s social and artistic contributors.”
Named after James McCune Smith, the first African American to receive a medical degree – awarded by the University of Glasgow in 1837 – the scholarship honours his remarkable legacy as a pioneering physician, intellectual, and abolitionist. The JMS Programme builds on this legacy by empowering a new generation of scholars to lead transformative research in the UK and beyond.
The 2026 Conference will spotlight those actively imagining, designing, and communicating equitable futures across disciplines – from science and technology to the arts and humanities. It will highlight the vital contributions of Black researchers, artists, and cultural leaders who are shaping new possibilities within and beyond academia.
The Conference, which is free to attend and open to the public and is in person or online, features a dynamic two-day programme. The first day will feature a series of thought-provoking keynote addresses from pioneering thinkers including Professor Hakim Adi, the first historian of African heritage to become a professor of history in Britain.
The day will also showcase the JMS Research presentations, highlighting the innovative and impactful work of the most recent cohort of JMS Scholars.
Day two will take on a thematic ‘unconference’ format, moving beyond traditional academic structures to foster open, participatory knowledge exchange through collaborative discussions, workshops, and creative sessions.
Highlights include a workshop with social entrepreneur and Governance expert Briana Pegado, author of Making Good Trouble: A Practical Guide to the Energetics of Disruption, as well as an intimate piano, cello and violin recital led by JMS Scholar and renowned pianist, Adam Heron, at the University Concert Hall
To reserve a ticket for the conference, click HERE.
First published: 2 July 2026
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